Singing their way out of sorrow
The inspirational story of the women who lost men at sea and found solace by forming a much-acclaimed choir
not long after their wedding in 2010. Morna, a red-headed Scot, had been just a girl when her father Donnie went over the back of his boat. They never found his body.
By May 2012, a month after making my first Facebook post about the Fishwives, the list of potential choir members numbered around 80. All I needed was, well, a song.
I wanted one that combined music that touched fishing and my faith — since Colin had died, I had never leant so heavily on God. I gravitated to one of my old favourites, When The Boat Comes In.
Many know it as the theme to an old BBC TV series of that name but it is a very old fishing community song. ‘Dance to your daddy, my little laddie ... when the boat comes in.’
I also loved the hymn Eternal Father, Strong To Save also called For Those In Peril On The Sea, which we had sung at my wedding and at Colin’s funeral. To me, that is the song of the fisherman, of every waterman.
At first, I tried to get everyone to rehearse together by computer video link but the evening we tried it, as more and more fishwives-intraining started signing up to our video link, there were loads of little squares showing ladies’ faces — all freezing at different points as the computer slowed down and half of them shouting: ‘ I can’t hear!’ One woman was standing behind her ironing board! We needed to meet.
Our first rehearsal was booked for October 27, 2012, at a church in nearby Shoebury. While not everyone could make it, I was thrilled at the turn-out: one lady had travelled from Plymouth.
Just being with the choir was a joy. I was pushing past my singing block, no longer being reduced to tears after a few notes.
As rehearsals continued, media interest grew. A local newspaper reporter spotted my Facebook post about the Fishwives and, after her article appeared, more Press and radio began to pick up our story. Then The One Show, the BBC magazine programme, came to film us. The producers suggested that Carrie Grant, a vocal coach who had worked on programmes like Fame Academy, should coach us.
When Carrie heard us, she said: ‘My favourite lines you’ve sung so far are: “Oh hear us when we cry to Thee / For those in peril on the sea.” You’ve all got stories to tell. When you sing, that’s got to mean something to you; it’s got to cost you.’
That was when it finally hit us: the reality of what our song meant. What had the sea cost us? We all knew; it was what we had to live with every day as the wives, sisters and mothers of fishermen: the sea’s power, its dangers.
OnCE more, the piano started up and as our voices swelled together, goose bumps prickled my arms. I was singing a prayer for those in peril on the sea and for my little laddie, whose daddy’s boat would never come in.
Surrounded by women who understood me and, in too many cases, had suffered the same pain, I had found my voice once more. In seeking to repay those who helped me in my family’s darkest hour, I had received a gift I never expected.
We released our charity CD, performed on breakfast television, heard our song on national radio; we even made number one in the iTunes vocal charts. We Fishwives have carried on our friendship, singing at gigs and festivals. Finding joy in music again is Colin’s final gift to me but I would still trade every song I’ve ever sung to have him back.
Adapted from SONG OF THE SEA by Jane Dolby, published this week by Orion at £7.99. T o order a copy , call 0808 272 0808, or visit mailbookshop.co.uk. For more information, visit fishwiveschoir.co.uk